The Mitchell Institute Awards $1.4 Million to New Class of Scholars

Each Scholar will receive a scholarship award of $10,000 along with ongoing personal, academic and professional support throughout their college careers

Contact: Marc Glass
mglass@mitchellinstitute.org / 207-358-7742

PORTLAND, Maine — The Mitchell Institute, a Maine-based nonprofit founded by Senator George J. Mitchell to improve college outcomes for students from every community in Maine, recently announced its annual cohort of Scholars. The 147 recipients of the Mitchell Scholarship, representing every public high school from across the state, will each receive a scholarship award of $10,000 to be paid out in four equal installments, as well as ongoing personal, academic and professional support.

The 2022 class of Mitchell Scholars graduated last month from high schools across the state and will soon pursue their academic goals and career aspirations in higher education. They will do so with the support of the broader Mitchell Institute community, which includes more than 2,800 alumni who mentor Scholars and hundreds of donors whose philanthropic investments continue to sustain the Institute’s ability to fund Scholars. Throughout college and the years following, the Scholars will have opportunities to engage with Mitchell Institute programs and resources focusing on financial assistance, leadership training, and academic and career support. The new class of Scholars will join 450 currently enrolled Scholars who collectively will receive more than $5 million in awards from the Mitchell Institute during their college careers.

From Kittery to Madawaska, all of the college-bound students in the 2022 Scholar class have distinguished themselves through academic excellence and community involvement. The 2022 Scholar cohort has also overcome several barriers to college access; 40% of the newest cohort of Mitchell Scholars will be the first in their families to attend college, and 74% of Mitchell Scholars overall are from families with incomes below Maine’s median. With financial and programmatic support from the Mitchell Institute, 88% of Scholars complete college and achieve a degree, compared with 58% nationally, and more than 90% earn all A’s and B’s in their college courses.

“The 2022 Mitchell Scholars spent much of their high school years facing upheaval related to the pandemic, and they have demonstrated remarkable resilience,” said Mitchell Institute President and CEO Jared Cash. “We at the Mitchell Institute are honored to offer them a $10,000 scholarship along with signature events and resources that are designed to meet Scholars where they are and support them in college and well into their careers. Each Scholar represents the best of our great state and reflects Senator Mitchell’s vision of investing in young people so they, in turn, can strengthen their communities.”

About the Mitchell Institute

The Mitchell Institute unlocks the potential of Maine college students so that they can find success in college and contribute to the vitality of their communities. The organization awards $1.4 million in college scholarship funds every year to students from public high schools in every community in Maine, but what separates it from traditional scholarship organizations is the broader array of support programs that it provides to students. This combination of personal, professional and financial support makes college degrees more attainable for Mitchell Scholars, who graduate at a rate 30% higher than the national average. Mitchell Scholars are also more likely than their peers to stay in Maine or return to the state after college. Founded by Senator George J. Mitchell, the Mitchell Institute’s core mission is to improve the likelihood that young people from every community in Maine will aspire to, pursue, and achieve a college education. The Mitchell Institute strengthens Maine communities by providing a path to success in college and beyond.

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